Orchis: planting and growing
Orchis, wild orchid, orchis are the names of the same perennial plant. This flower is listed in the Red Book. It is not only beautiful, but also has medicinal properties. There are more than 40 types of flowers, some of which can be grown on your backyard.
Description of the orchis plant
The plant resembles an orchid in appearance. Its flowers are collected in an inflorescence by a spikelet and come in different colors: white, yellow, red, blue or purple. The flower can reach 50 cm in height, and the inflorescence has a length of 9-15 cm. There are varieties that have a slight vanilla smell.
In nature, orchis grows in sunny meadows and glades.
The root of the plant is 2 round or finger-shaped tubers. They contain many useful substances and are the most valuable for the preparation of medicines.
The root is used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and upper respiratory tract. It is also effective for poisoning with toxic substances, for recuperation after operations and as an anti-inflammatory agent.
For this plant, choose areas that are lighted or slightly shaded. The soil should be loose and moist, but not marshy.
There are two ways to plant a flower.
- Planting tubers. There is always a young tuber next to the main tuber, which you can detach and transplant. Do this in the spring or fall with the addition of the soil in which it grew. After 2-3 weeks after detaching the seedling, a new seedling grows on the main root, and the transplant operation can be repeated.
- Planting seeds. A wild orchid can be grown from seed, but there is one peculiarity. To germinate, a flower needs a certain type of fungus in the soil. Therefore, this method is less common. Although in favorable conditions, self-sowing of a plant can also occur, and new shoots can be used for transplanting.
Tubers after transplanting 2-3 years may not germinate, the sprout also does not begin to bloom immediately. Therefore, you will be able to enjoy the flowers only 3-5 years after planting. When growing a crop from seeds, flowering begins no earlier than 5 years later.
After planting, feed the wild orchid with organic fertilizers and mulch the ground 2 times a year with needles. Watering is needed in moderation, and with stable precipitation, you can not water at all.
The wild orchid begins to bloom in May or June, then the seed pod appears, where the seeds ripen until August.
The advantage of the flower is its frost resistance and disease resistance. The only trouble for him is slugs and snails.
When planting a wild orchid, keep in mind that it is not adapted for mixed beds. The best planting sites would be a rock garden, rockery or mono flower.